Companionship project TE ME UM

Creation of the network 𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚃𝚄𝙴𝚂 𝙼𝙰𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙴𝚂 𝙿𝙰𝙲𝙸𝙵𝙸𝚀𝚄𝙴 𝚂𝚄𝙳

In December 2022, we were fortunate enough to welcome veterinary Doctor Bertrand Bouchard, a member of the Wallis and Futuna-based Children of the Lagoon association as part of a TE ME UM companionship funded by the French Biodiversity Office (OFB).

This year, it’s the turn of our founder and veterinarian Dr Cécile Gaspar to visit Wallis and Futuna and New Caledonia. The aim of 𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚃𝚄𝙴𝚂 𝙼𝙰𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙴𝚂 𝙿𝙰𝙲𝙸𝙵𝙸𝚀𝚄𝙴 𝚂𝚄𝙳 companionship project is to learn and exchange about different projects whether in the field of veterinary care, turtle observations, particularly egg-laying monitoring, and awareness-raising initiatives for the general public and schools :

In Wallis and Futuna: the association Les Enfants Du Lagon, the Service Territorial de l’Environnement, teachers, rowing clubs, island residents, the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), etc.

In New Caledonia: Association Bwärä Tortues Marines, Aquarium Des Lagons de Nouvelle Calédonie, Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), WWF, etc.

Many thanks to the French Biodiversity Office and the TE ME UM programme for their support, and to everyone involved in protecting marine turtles in these territories.